Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) lost a $1 million earmark to fund a Woodstock museum in Liberty, New York yesterday, but was successful in securing $350,000 tax dollars to fund the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc.
According to a press release from her Senate office, the money will go towards decreasing the use of crystal methamphetamine-- which contributes HIV transmission-- in the gay community.
An October 17th statement attributed to Clinton said: “The Gay Men’s Health Clinic is providing a critical service in working to halt the devastation that methamphetamine brings to our community. With HIV/AIDS rates among meth users more than twice as high as the general public, these funds are essential in helping the Gay Men’s Health Clinic continue the fight against HIV/AIDS through treatment and prevention.”
Clinton also took credit for nabbing $200,000 in federal dollars for the American Ballet Theatre. These earmarks were tucked into the fiscal year 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill.
On Thursday, Sen. Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.) held a stand-off on the Senate floor against Clinton and her fellow New York Sen. Charles Schumer (D.) over $1 million they obtained in the fiscal year 2008 Labor, Health, and Human Services spending bill for a museum dedicated largely to the 1969 Woodstock music festival.
Clinton and Schumer lost.
Coburn issued a measure to reallocate the money to fund healthcare for pregnant women and children instead. It passed 52-42.
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